One Night of Camping

Earlier this month, William and I were invited to join my good friend Kate and her daughter for a night of camping near Bodega Bay. I had not been camping since Chris and I went to the Redwoods for our 3rd Anniversary -- which was a long time ago! We still had all of gear (Chris had just gone camping in March) so there was no reason to say "No." Well, even if we didn't have any gear I would have found some so we could go!

The four of us left Saturday morning and drove the 90 minutes to Bodega Dunes. Kate handled everything really -- the campsite, the food, and the fire. The campsite was awesome, there was a huge sand hill behind our tent so the kids just grabbed the sand toys and ran up to the top. William could have stayed there the entire time but we pulled him away so we could play in the sand that was actually on the beach. It was a lovely day, although fairly cloudy and windy. I was glad we brought a lot of layers! We bundled up and had a picnic on the beach for lunch. We made some friends with two little girls that were playing near by (and their parents).

 After a few hours, when we were successfully chilled to the core, we packed up and hiked back to our campsite for a rest. The sun was shining right on our site so we could warm up just by sitting at the table!

After a little rest, we went on a walk around the campground to see what could be seen. There were big trees, friendly campers, flowers and birds to see. On the way back to our campsite we ran into the family that we had seen at the beach! We were just a few campsites apart! Kate invited them over to roast marshmallows after dinner.

At the campsite, the kids went back to playing in the sand, William giving his new shovel the attention it deserved. We ate dinner which Kate had made ahead of time and started a fire to roast marshmallows. The two girls and their family joined us and they brought some friends too. All the kids piled into the tents to play while the adults hung out around the fire. It was really fun, just hanging out with new friends.

Nothing we did that day was stressful or hard (like I said, Kate took care of just about everything!). I couldn't remember the last time I did nothing like that. We walked around, enjoyed the beach and had good conversations. No rushing, worrying, or planning.

We went to bed early that night. Mostly because the kids weren't settling down and needed to be separated. William enjoyed the day a lot, but sleeping in a tent was new to him. After laying next to me for 30 minutes he said "Mom, I want to go home to sleep in my bed." I had to explain what we were doing and that tomorrow we would be home and he would have his bed again. This was just for one night. He clung to Chris's headlamp as a night light and when he finally fell asleep I was able to shut it off . . . because I can't sleep with a bright light in my face. He seemed to sleep well enough. He woke up at 5:30 and I was able to convince him to go back to sleep. I hadn't slept that well (who does?) and even 6:30 felt way to early to me, but that's when he was up and ready for more shoveling.

The next morning, we had breakfast and caffeinated tea, packed up our gear and drove to the beach for one last hurrah. The morning was a lot sunnier than the previous day, it was still chilly but not has bad as the day before. We tried to get the kids to go on a walk and burn off some energy before the drive home . . . hoping they might nap. But they were content to just sit in one spot and play in the sand. After an hour it was time to head out. Something happened that triggered a massive meltdown for William so getting to the car took a lot longer and a lot of muscle on my part. Overtired and hungry is not a good combination for my son. After an early lunch he was much better and we headed home.

William's first camping experience was a success! And other than me taking 20 minutes to get ONE sleeping pad back in it's sleeve, I think I did okay too. I definitely enjoyed it and hope we can do it again. Maybe even attempt to bring Stephen!

Earlier this month, William and I were invited to join my good friend Kate and her daughter for a night of camping near Bodega Bay. I had not been camping since Chris and I went to the Redwoods for our 3rd Anniversary -- which was a long time ago! We still had all of gear (Chris had just gone camping in March) so there was no reason to say "No." Well, even if we didn't have any gear I would have found some so we could go!

The four of us left Saturday morning and drove the 90 minutes to Bodega Dunes. Kate handled everything really -- the campsite, the food, and the fire. The campsite was awesome, there was a huge sand hill behind our tent so the kids just grabbed the sand toys and ran up to the top. William could have stayed there the entire time but we pulled him away so we could play in the sand that was actually on the beach. It was a lovely day, although fairly cloudy and windy. I was glad we brought a lot of layers! We bundled up and had a picnic on the beach for lunch. We made some friends with two little girls that were playing near by (and their parents).

 After a few hours, when we were successfully chilled to the core, we packed up and hiked back to our campsite for a rest. The sun was shining right on our site so we could warm up just by sitting at the table!

After a little rest, we went on a walk around the campground to see what could be seen. There were big trees, friendly campers, flowers and birds to see. On the way back to our campsite we ran into the family that we had seen at the beach! We were just a few campsites apart! Kate invited them over to roast marshmallows after dinner.

At the campsite, the kids went back to playing in the sand, William giving his new shovel the attention it deserved. We ate dinner which Kate had made ahead of time and started a fire to roast marshmallows. The two girls and their family joined us and they brought some friends too. All the kids piled into the tents to play while the adults hung out around the fire. It was really fun, just hanging out with new friends.

Nothing we did that day was stressful or hard (like I said, Kate took care of just about everything!). I couldn't remember the last time I did nothing like that. We walked around, enjoyed the beach and had good conversations. No rushing, worrying, or planning.

We went to bed early that night. Mostly because the kids weren't settling down and needed to be separated. William enjoyed the day a lot, but sleeping in a tent was new to him. After laying next to me for 30 minutes he said "Mom, I want to go home to sleep in my bed." I had to explain what we were doing and that tomorrow we would be home and he would have his bed again. This was just for one night. He clung to Chris's headlamp as a night light and when he finally fell asleep I was able to shut it off . . . because I can't sleep with a bright light in my face. He seemed to sleep well enough. He woke up at 5:30 and I was able to convince him to go back to sleep. I hadn't slept that well (who does?) and even 6:30 felt way to early to me, but that's when he was up and ready for more shoveling.

The next morning, we had breakfast and caffeinated tea, packed up our gear and drove to the beach for one last hurrah. The morning was a lot sunnier than the previous day, it was still chilly but not has bad as the day before. We tried to get the kids to go on a walk and burn off some energy before the drive home . . . hoping they might nap. But they were content to just sit in one spot and play in the sand. After an hour it was time to head out. Something happened that triggered a massive meltdown for William so getting to the car took a lot longer and a lot of muscle on my part. Overtired and hungry is not a good combination for my son. After an early lunch he was much better and we headed home.

William's first camping experience was a success! And other than me taking 20 minutes to get ONE sleeping pad back in it's sleeve, I think I did okay too. I definitely enjoyed it and hope we can do it again. Maybe even attempt to bring Stephen!

The Handmaid's Tale

I finished the Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood a few weeks ago and I'm not really sure what I thought of it. I kept waiting for the author to really explain what kind of society this women were a part of and what the time period was for this story or offer some sort of background and explanation for why the women were divided into what seemed like casts but she never really did. By the end, I realized that wasn't the way this story was meant to be told or understood, so when it was over, I was left a little fuzzy.

If you aren't familiar with the story, I'll use a sentence from Wikipedia to explain the subject:

The Handmaid's Tale explores themes of women in subjugation to misogyny in a patriarchal society and the various means by which these women attempt to gain individualism and independence. 

It's a really hard subject to read about - women being used as sexual servants for the purpose of procreation - there is nothing positive about it. The book is considered a classic and on recommended reading lists for high school and colleges, and has received many awards; it was written in 1985. I had never heard of it until this year . . . where have I been?

I'm glad I read it, even if I didn't especially like the life the Handmaids lived or the scenes that unfolded; it was an interesting read and a topic worth thinking over.

I finished the Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood a few weeks ago and I'm not really sure what I thought of it. I kept waiting for the author to really explain what kind of society this women were a part of and what the time period was for this story or offer some sort of background and explanation for why the women were divided into what seemed like casts but she never really did. By the end, I realized that wasn't the way this story was meant to be told or understood, so when it was over, I was left a little fuzzy.

If you aren't familiar with the story, I'll use a sentence from Wikipedia to explain the subject:

The Handmaid's Tale explores themes of women in subjugation to misogyny in a patriarchal society and the various means by which these women attempt to gain individualism and independence. 

It's a really hard subject to read about - women being used as sexual servants for the purpose of procreation - there is nothing positive about it. The book is considered a classic and on recommended reading lists for high school and colleges, and has received many awards; it was written in 1985. I had never heard of it until this year . . . where have I been?

I'm glad I read it, even if I didn't especially like the life the Handmaids lived or the scenes that unfolded; it was an interesting read and a topic worth thinking over.

Whole 30: Day 22

"We're almost done!" I told Chris this afternoon. His response: "No, we are two-thirds of the way through this. Not all most done." I guess we're feeling a little different about this whole thing.

But I realized over the last couple of days that I have had a few slip ups without even realizing it. And a few that were intentional -- but for good reason. The intentional slip ups were tasting things I had cooked trying to discern if it was cooked, things like pasta for the kids or tofu for my neighbor. I also licked my fingers while preparing cupcakes for Stephen's birthday party (cupcakes that I didn't even get to serve because the frosting didn't turn out)! The unintentional slip ups were because I forgot to read the label before using the ingredient; things like seasoned rice vinegar, fish sauce, and a rotisserie chicken from Safeway all have sugar in them.

So, my Whole 30 is no longer perfect. But I'm sticking to it -- and no I'm not starting over. I may not have the full benefit of going 30 straight days without sugar but I am certain that cutting it out as much as I have will benefit me regardless of those slip ups. (Trying not to feel guilty about it and see the big picture.)

Things we've been eating:
Breakfast: Egg scramble with onion, avocado, spinach and potatoes
Lunch: Salad and usually leftovers from dinner the night before
Dinners: Meat and roasted veggies, baked sweet potatoes. Trying new recipes all the time. Will try to post them at the end.
Snacks: Almonds, bananas with almond butter, apples, snap peas, and carrot sticks

Recent challenges: Stephen's birthday party (Mission Mini cupcakes), William's end of year school party (so many sweets, way too many for 4 year olds!) and hanging out with friends (wine). I did go out to eat one night for bookclub and I ordered a kale salad without the cheese and then just used olive oil as the dressing. It was really good!

Our grocery bill has been a lot higher this month. I don't know the damage quite yet but seeing how much meat we go through and the fact that last week alone we went through 4 dozen eggs, I'm not looking forward to seeing the total.

8 DAYS to Go!!

"We're almost done!" I told Chris this afternoon. His response: "No, we are two-thirds of the way through this. Not all most done." I guess we're feeling a little different about this whole thing.

But I realized over the last couple of days that I have had a few slip ups without even realizing it. And a few that were intentional -- but for good reason. The intentional slip ups were tasting things I had cooked trying to discern if it was cooked, things like pasta for the kids or tofu for my neighbor. I also licked my fingers while preparing cupcakes for Stephen's birthday party (cupcakes that I didn't even get to serve because the frosting didn't turn out)! The unintentional slip ups were because I forgot to read the label before using the ingredient; things like seasoned rice vinegar, fish sauce, and a rotisserie chicken from Safeway all have sugar in them.

So, my Whole 30 is no longer perfect. But I'm sticking to it -- and no I'm not starting over. I may not have the full benefit of going 30 straight days without sugar but I am certain that cutting it out as much as I have will benefit me regardless of those slip ups. (Trying not to feel guilty about it and see the big picture.)

Things we've been eating:
Breakfast: Egg scramble with onion, avocado, spinach and potatoes
Lunch: Salad and usually leftovers from dinner the night before
Dinners: Meat and roasted veggies, baked sweet potatoes. Trying new recipes all the time. Will try to post them at the end.
Snacks: Almonds, bananas with almond butter, apples, snap peas, and carrot sticks

Recent challenges: Stephen's birthday party (Mission Mini cupcakes), William's end of year school party (so many sweets, way too many for 4 year olds!) and hanging out with friends (wine). I did go out to eat one night for bookclub and I ordered a kale salad without the cheese and then just used olive oil as the dressing. It was really good!

Our grocery bill has been a lot higher this month. I don't know the damage quite yet but seeing how much meat we go through and the fact that last week alone we went through 4 dozen eggs, I'm not looking forward to seeing the total.

8 DAYS to Go!!

Toddler B2: Two Years Old

This little guy turned 2 on Friday! The days sometimes seem long and hard, but this past year went by really fast. I can't believe it. He has changed so much and his personality has really started to show. He measures 35.5 inches tall and weighs 24.5 pounds. He is more strong willed than William was at this age (but William was fairly compliant and soft spoken). Stephen is not afraid to go after what he wants! He hates sitting in his car seat, but loves sitting in the driver seat. He is also a little silly -- sometimes dancing around playfully or humming to himself. He also likes to pretend to eat the air (I'm not sure where that comes from). 

He is talking more! He says things that sound like: trash, keys, milk, juice, shoes, knock (on the door), shoot (a basket), ball, poop, pee, balloon, up, please, apple, blue, no, yes, me, peas, meat, open, octopus, high, uh-oh, miss (as in missed the basket), yeah, mix, crash, hot

Names he can say/attempt: Mama, Dada, Nana, Adley, Eleonore, Chastidy, Catica, Alana

Questions he asks: Where is? What is?

Sounds used to identify objects: Ruff, Wee-ohh-wee-oh, Choo-choo

He loves playing with William. They often play separately sitting next to each other but sometimes they do interact which most of the time leads to fighting. They love playing with garbage trucks, construction vehicles and trains. It amazes me how long he can play by himself with just a few trucks or blocks. Stephen loves to shoot his basketball anywhere and everywhere a hoop can be found or made. And he's really good at it! Toy kitchens are also a big hit; he can play with the doors and buttons for hours minutes at a time.

He is interested in going to the bathroom sometimes but I usually end up use it as a consequence for not letting me put a diaper on him. He does tell me when he needs a new diaper which is nice. We are still cloth diapering but using disposables for naps and bedtime. 

We had a little birthday party for him in the park on Saturday morning. It was really fun to hang out with friends and have the kids play. We had a little truck theme so everyone got a toy construction vehicle to take home and Stephen had a mini dump truck on his cupcake. I also made the truck on his shirt. Chris borrowed a few construction hats from his work so the boys played with those for a bit too. The majority of the kids who came were 2-3 year old girls but they had fun with the trucks too. I hadn't realized how many of our friends had kids around the same age so it was really fun to see them together!

Stephen does really well with food. He loves sweets (obviously) but he also eats a lot of fruit and vegetables too. He isn't too crazy about meat most of the time. We are discovering that he doesn't really eat leftovers very well. So, the first night I serve something he will eat it all and love it but the next day he won't even touch it. He also doesn't like eating things that are hot (or even mildly warm) and prefers to cool his food down by sitting in front of our box fan eating it as it cools.

He loves to run. He loves to ride William's scooter. He isn't quite interested in the balance bike yet. He loves watching basketball games but loves being a part of the game better. Stephen likes to climb ladders but often calls for help when he gets half way up. 

Happy Birthday sweet boy! We love you and can't wait (okay, I can wait a little while) to see what you learn and how you grow this year!

This little guy turned 2 on Friday! The days sometimes seem long and hard, but this past year went by really fast. I can't believe it. He has changed so much and his personality has really started to show. He measures 35.5 inches tall and weighs 24.5 pounds. He is more strong willed than William was at this age (but William was fairly compliant and soft spoken). Stephen is not afraid to go after what he wants! He hates sitting in his car seat, but loves sitting in the driver seat. He is also a little silly -- sometimes dancing around playfully or humming to himself. He also likes to pretend to eat the air (I'm not sure where that comes from). 

He is talking more! He says things that sound like: trash, keys, milk, juice, shoes, knock (on the door), shoot (a basket), ball, poop, pee, balloon, up, please, apple, blue, no, yes, me, peas, meat, open, octopus, high, uh-oh, miss (as in missed the basket), yeah, mix, crash, hot

Names he can say/attempt: Mama, Dada, Nana, Adley, Eleonore, Chastidy, Catica, Alana

Questions he asks: Where is? What is?

Sounds used to identify objects: Ruff, Wee-ohh-wee-oh, Choo-choo

He loves playing with William. They often play separately sitting next to each other but sometimes they do interact which most of the time leads to fighting. They love playing with garbage trucks, construction vehicles and trains. It amazes me how long he can play by himself with just a few trucks or blocks. Stephen loves to shoot his basketball anywhere and everywhere a hoop can be found or made. And he's really good at it! Toy kitchens are also a big hit; he can play with the doors and buttons for hours minutes at a time.

He is interested in going to the bathroom sometimes but I usually end up use it as a consequence for not letting me put a diaper on him. He does tell me when he needs a new diaper which is nice. We are still cloth diapering but using disposables for naps and bedtime. 

We had a little birthday party for him in the park on Saturday morning. It was really fun to hang out with friends and have the kids play. We had a little truck theme so everyone got a toy construction vehicle to take home and Stephen had a mini dump truck on his cupcake. I also made the truck on his shirt. Chris borrowed a few construction hats from his work so the boys played with those for a bit too. The majority of the kids who came were 2-3 year old girls but they had fun with the trucks too. I hadn't realized how many of our friends had kids around the same age so it was really fun to see them together!

Stephen does really well with food. He loves sweets (obviously) but he also eats a lot of fruit and vegetables too. He isn't too crazy about meat most of the time. We are discovering that he doesn't really eat leftovers very well. So, the first night I serve something he will eat it all and love it but the next day he won't even touch it. He also doesn't like eating things that are hot (or even mildly warm) and prefers to cool his food down by sitting in front of our box fan eating it as it cools.

He loves to run. He loves to ride William's scooter. He isn't quite interested in the balance bike yet. He loves watching basketball games but loves being a part of the game better. Stephen likes to climb ladders but often calls for help when he gets half way up. 

Happy Birthday sweet boy! We love you and can't wait (okay, I can wait a little while) to see what you learn and how you grow this year!

One Hard Day

Last week Monday, I had a really terrible day. My nerves have recovered enough that I can now write about it. I think it's important to write it out for myself, and if you get to read it, thats okay too.

On Monday, I took William to his Pre-K class like usual. Instead of going to the gym with Stephen as I try to do, I ran some errands. My last stop was Trader Joe's, a store I do not get to visit often. The shopping went just fine but as I was checking out, I lost track of Stephen. He had been playing with the toy kitchen set just in front of the row of check out stands but when I looked up from bagging a few of my groceries, he was gone!

My heart raced, I scanned the entire front of the store with out any sign of him. I ran to the escalators (this TJ's is on the bottom floor) and didn't see him there either. He was nowhere. I ran back to my cashier and told him what had happened and he encouraged me to keep looking, not to worry about the line growing behind me. On my next scan of the store, I saw him by the elevator. A cashier close behind him. He was having a blast "shopping" with his mini-cart. He had even put a few things inside. He was so happy to show me his treasure. I was so flustered.

I paid for my stuff and huffed it all back to the car. Grateful for the kind cashiers and friendly shoppers who didn't seem to get mad at me at all.

________

That afternoon, Stephen refused to nap (much like right now), but I was determined to finish folding the laundry anyway. When William woke up it was time to put it all away (in the bedroom where they sleep). I took the basket to the room and promptly heard William screaming for me. I shouted "What is it?" and he replied, "The dresser fell on Stephen. Help!" Ah! I ran to the living room/master bedroom and saw my baby buried under the three-drawer IKEA dresser. All of the drawers had slid out and he was crying underneath it all. I tried to pick it up quickly and ended up leaning it against my back while I got him out of the way. Thankfully, he was just fine. Mostly scared and stuck. I cleaned up the mess, put away the laundry and then corralled them both outside to the library.

_________

At the library, I help William find his books and then turn to Stephen and put away all the books he had taken off the shelf. I tell him to come with me to find his books and turned to walk to the board book section. I assumed he was coming. After I found two books I thought he would like, I turned to see that he was not in the same section as me. I stood, scanning the room without seeing any sign of him. I ask William where he went, William has no idea. I speed walk the entire downstairs of the library without a glimpse of my little boy. I had seen a family leave the library exit that leads to the playground so I rush outside thinking he snuck out behind them. Nothing. I run into a friend out there and she confirms she hadn't seen him. I run back into the library and ask William to check the bathroom. As he heads in there, an older man asks him "Where is your parent?" I was right behind him and said, "I sent him in to see if my toddler was in there, I can't find him." At that the man suggested I look upstairs because he had seen a little guy on the steps. I run upstairs and there is Stephen at the very top, holding on the banister, looking down with the saddest expression on his face. I exclaim "Stephen, there you are! Why did you come up the stairs?" (He isn't really talking yet so he just hugged me.)

As I was turning to leave, my friend that I had seen outside saw me. She told a story of her middle child being very similar and suggested I look into a leash. Turns out those were made for a reason! I burst into tears. She didn't know about the earlier incident that day. That I lost him twice in public. That I might seriously need the aid of leash to keep him safe. My nerves were fried. I really couldn't handle anything else that afternoon. 

________

That was all in a day and I'm so thankful it's over. I've been much more aware of where Stephen is all the time now. But on Tuesday, he still managed to grab my curling iron from the bathroom and plug it in an outlet in the living room (it was on and hot when I found it). Thankfully, no burns.

And on Thursday he fell down a few stairs right outside our apartment door. 

We survived the week . . . barely. This almost 2 year old of mine is keeping me on my toes to say the least. He's a lot of fun and he is super cute, but he also wears me out! 

Last week Monday, I had a really terrible day. My nerves have recovered enough that I can now write about it. I think it's important to write it out for myself, and if you get to read it, thats okay too.

On Monday, I took William to his Pre-K class like usual. Instead of going to the gym with Stephen as I try to do, I ran some errands. My last stop was Trader Joe's, a store I do not get to visit often. The shopping went just fine but as I was checking out, I lost track of Stephen. He had been playing with the toy kitchen set just in front of the row of check out stands but when I looked up from bagging a few of my groceries, he was gone!

My heart raced, I scanned the entire front of the store with out any sign of him. I ran to the escalators (this TJ's is on the bottom floor) and didn't see him there either. He was nowhere. I ran back to my cashier and told him what had happened and he encouraged me to keep looking, not to worry about the line growing behind me. On my next scan of the store, I saw him by the elevator. A cashier close behind him. He was having a blast "shopping" with his mini-cart. He had even put a few things inside. He was so happy to show me his treasure. I was so flustered.

I paid for my stuff and huffed it all back to the car. Grateful for the kind cashiers and friendly shoppers who didn't seem to get mad at me at all.

________

That afternoon, Stephen refused to nap (much like right now), but I was determined to finish folding the laundry anyway. When William woke up it was time to put it all away (in the bedroom where they sleep). I took the basket to the room and promptly heard William screaming for me. I shouted "What is it?" and he replied, "The dresser fell on Stephen. Help!" Ah! I ran to the living room/master bedroom and saw my baby buried under the three-drawer IKEA dresser. All of the drawers had slid out and he was crying underneath it all. I tried to pick it up quickly and ended up leaning it against my back while I got him out of the way. Thankfully, he was just fine. Mostly scared and stuck. I cleaned up the mess, put away the laundry and then corralled them both outside to the library.

_________

At the library, I help William find his books and then turn to Stephen and put away all the books he had taken off the shelf. I tell him to come with me to find his books and turned to walk to the board book section. I assumed he was coming. After I found two books I thought he would like, I turned to see that he was not in the same section as me. I stood, scanning the room without seeing any sign of him. I ask William where he went, William has no idea. I speed walk the entire downstairs of the library without a glimpse of my little boy. I had seen a family leave the library exit that leads to the playground so I rush outside thinking he snuck out behind them. Nothing. I run into a friend out there and she confirms she hadn't seen him. I run back into the library and ask William to check the bathroom. As he heads in there, an older man asks him "Where is your parent?" I was right behind him and said, "I sent him in to see if my toddler was in there, I can't find him." At that the man suggested I look upstairs because he had seen a little guy on the steps. I run upstairs and there is Stephen at the very top, holding on the banister, looking down with the saddest expression on his face. I exclaim "Stephen, there you are! Why did you come up the stairs?" (He isn't really talking yet so he just hugged me.)

As I was turning to leave, my friend that I had seen outside saw me. She told a story of her middle child being very similar and suggested I look into a leash. Turns out those were made for a reason! I burst into tears. She didn't know about the earlier incident that day. That I lost him twice in public. That I might seriously need the aid of leash to keep him safe. My nerves were fried. I really couldn't handle anything else that afternoon. 

________

That was all in a day and I'm so thankful it's over. I've been much more aware of where Stephen is all the time now. But on Tuesday, he still managed to grab my curling iron from the bathroom and plug it in an outlet in the living room (it was on and hot when I found it). Thankfully, no burns.

And on Thursday he fell down a few stairs right outside our apartment door. 

We survived the week . . . barely. This almost 2 year old of mine is keeping me on my toes to say the least. He's a lot of fun and he is super cute, but he also wears me out! 

A Different Mother's Day

Spring is here again and it's the time we celebrate the mothers in our lives. There have been so many encouraging articles and videos on social media this week that I can hardly think of anything to say that hasn't already be said to celebrate our moms. This one was a really great read on the strength of mothers and what is at stake. I loved this video, really I love all the videos done by "Story of This Life." 

One thing that hasn't been said yet this year is "Happy Mother's Day, Connie Hagen!" Well, I actually did just call her to tell her that. But usually I do a little tribute to her in this space as well. So, here is your shout-out Mom! If you hadn't been the mom you are, I wouldn't have wanted to be the mom I so longed to be. I grew up watching you with your babies (my siblings) and longed to be just like you. I don't know how you did it all with so many of us, but you did. And you did a great job too. You have some great kids if I do say so myself! And now, you have 5 (almost 6) wonderful grandchildren too! Thank you for being my Mom.

This Mother's Day was a little different for me. Okay, a lot different. For starters, our pastor asked several of the mothers with young children to participate in the service. And not just stand up and wave. Nope. He gave us each a role. One welcomed everyone to the service, another prayed, one read the scripture reading, and another gave the benediction/blessing. They were all so beautiful! What did he ask me to do? Speak. As in preach. Although I wouldn't call it preaching, really. More like sharing . . . for a really long time. As far as I know, our church has not done this before -- having moms serve on Mother's Day. Nothing like upping the ante for stress on a Sunday morning (for all the young families!)

But in all serious, it was really sweet and I think it turned out lovely. There were strong, wonderful women leading the service and honoring the Lord in a way we hadn't done before. Seriously, we are never in the front -- we arrive late, we sit in the back, we hush our children and leave as soon as possible to get lunch and naps. I wonder if the rest of the congregation even knows who we are! (that's just a joke, they can't miss us.) It also made me feel a strong sense of unity with these women-- That we could all do something like this together on such a special day.

If you are interested in seeing the service, our church does a live feed on Facebook and you can check out the replay it here. I didn't anticipate talking for as long as I did, but I'm thankful God steadied my nerves and allowed me to go at a slower pace instead of racing thru it as my gut wanted me to.

That was this morning. This afternoon was also different for me. Last year, I wanted to have a family day for Mother's Day so we went hiking at Lands' End. It was fun to be together but the day left me exhausted instead of refreshed. So today, I asked for some alone time. I wasn't sure what I was going to do but I had all afternoon to do whatever I wanted. 

I chose to go on a hike. At first I was heading toward Twin Peaks but soon discovered that the white puffy clouds were blowing over the top of the peaks already and at a really fast pace. Knowing that my view wouldn't be that great and the wind would be really harsh, I chose to change direction and go up a closer hill -- Bernal. My goal was to have some quiet reflection, time to recenter myself after a really rough week and a challenging task like speaking in church. I had found myself thinking through my presentation every night while I tried to go to bed and every nap time and every car drive. So my thoughts seemed really far away and scattered. It was time to focus.

I put in my 10,000 steps and sat down under a tree for nearly 25 minutes and took in the beauty of the day. And then I walked home. I was only gone for two hours but it was enough. I also wanted to spend a little time with my boys!

My husband treated to breakfast, lunch and dinner all cooked by himself. Not a small feat since we are doing Whole30 this month. He bought me the most perfect card and beautiful Japanese bowls. I had asked him for new bowls we could use for soy sauce/wasabi for eating sushi and he found them and they are perfect.

Happy Mother's Day!

Spring is here again and it's the time we celebrate the mothers in our lives. There have been so many encouraging articles and videos on social media this week that I can hardly think of anything to say that hasn't already be said to celebrate our moms. This one was a really great read on the strength of mothers and what is at stake. I loved this video, really I love all the videos done by "Story of This Life." 

One thing that hasn't been said yet this year is "Happy Mother's Day, Connie Hagen!" Well, I actually did just call her to tell her that. But usually I do a little tribute to her in this space as well. So, here is your shout-out Mom! If you hadn't been the mom you are, I wouldn't have wanted to be the mom I so longed to be. I grew up watching you with your babies (my siblings) and longed to be just like you. I don't know how you did it all with so many of us, but you did. And you did a great job too. You have some great kids if I do say so myself! And now, you have 5 (almost 6) wonderful grandchildren too! Thank you for being my Mom.

This Mother's Day was a little different for me. Okay, a lot different. For starters, our pastor asked several of the mothers with young children to participate in the service. And not just stand up and wave. Nope. He gave us each a role. One welcomed everyone to the service, another prayed, one read the scripture reading, and another gave the benediction/blessing. They were all so beautiful! What did he ask me to do? Speak. As in preach. Although I wouldn't call it preaching, really. More like sharing . . . for a really long time. As far as I know, our church has not done this before -- having moms serve on Mother's Day. Nothing like upping the ante for stress on a Sunday morning (for all the young families!)

But in all serious, it was really sweet and I think it turned out lovely. There were strong, wonderful women leading the service and honoring the Lord in a way we hadn't done before. Seriously, we are never in the front -- we arrive late, we sit in the back, we hush our children and leave as soon as possible to get lunch and naps. I wonder if the rest of the congregation even knows who we are! (that's just a joke, they can't miss us.) It also made me feel a strong sense of unity with these women-- That we could all do something like this together on such a special day.

If you are interested in seeing the service, our church does a live feed on Facebook and you can check out the replay it here. I didn't anticipate talking for as long as I did, but I'm thankful God steadied my nerves and allowed me to go at a slower pace instead of racing thru it as my gut wanted me to.

That was this morning. This afternoon was also different for me. Last year, I wanted to have a family day for Mother's Day so we went hiking at Lands' End. It was fun to be together but the day left me exhausted instead of refreshed. So today, I asked for some alone time. I wasn't sure what I was going to do but I had all afternoon to do whatever I wanted. 

I chose to go on a hike. At first I was heading toward Twin Peaks but soon discovered that the white puffy clouds were blowing over the top of the peaks already and at a really fast pace. Knowing that my view wouldn't be that great and the wind would be really harsh, I chose to change direction and go up a closer hill -- Bernal. My goal was to have some quiet reflection, time to recenter myself after a really rough week and a challenging task like speaking in church. I had found myself thinking through my presentation every night while I tried to go to bed and every nap time and every car drive. So my thoughts seemed really far away and scattered. It was time to focus.

I put in my 10,000 steps and sat down under a tree for nearly 25 minutes and took in the beauty of the day. And then I walked home. I was only gone for two hours but it was enough. I also wanted to spend a little time with my boys!

My husband treated to breakfast, lunch and dinner all cooked by himself. Not a small feat since we are doing Whole30 this month. He bought me the most perfect card and beautiful Japanese bowls. I had asked him for new bowls we could use for soy sauce/wasabi for eating sushi and he found them and they are perfect.

Happy Mother's Day!

Whole 30: Day 12

Can I just say that I'm a little proud of myself for making it twelve days without all the things I love to eat? Cause I am. I didn't think I could really do this -- but I am doing it! I'm amazed that I could take control of this part of my life -- even for just 12 days, but hopefully for 30 and then forever afterwards.

I've had a few days of extreme fatigue but that is also paired with my cycle, so not sure how much of it to attribute to food. I've also had a few days of extreme hunger/anger (also known as "Hangry") but that was also my fault, I simply ran out of food to eat or didn't bring it with me when we went out. Lesson learned: always have something around that is safe to eat. Like almonds, sweet potatoes or apple slices with almond butter.

The day-by-day whole 30 book I have mentioned a feeling of wanting to "kill all the things" which did rear its ugly head a few times, but I was able to control the urge to a) cheat on the program and b) hurt anyone. Yeah me! (haha)

Some of the positive things I've experienced: better self esteem, I just feel better about myself when I feel better and know I'm doing good things for my body. I haven't stepped on the scale yet (because it's actually a rule of the program not to) but I can tell that my clothes fit better and I feel better in my own skin - not bloated and feeling fat. I feel good. Whether or not the numbers actually go down doesn't really matter.

I haven't been out to eat yet so I haven't had to battle the menu, but I have had two social nights with friends were we stayed clear from the alcohol and cheese and crackers. I also spent an evening camping and was able to bring completely compliant foods, precooked and ready to eat (thanks Kate!) and I passed up the roasted marshmallows and s'mores with semi-ease. I knew that sugar rush would be too much. Those events were a little tricky, but afterwards I just felt so good about my choices and willpower.

I've found some really great recipes online. Nothing has been "boring" as I had first feared. I do end up cooking more since Chris and I need completely different lunches than we did before. No more sandwiches for us. I've also been making homemade dressings which are delicious.

I have confidence that I can finish out the month and I'm excited to see what other things improve for my body/skin/self-confidence in the next two weeks.

Can I just say that I'm a little proud of myself for making it twelve days without all the things I love to eat? Cause I am. I didn't think I could really do this -- but I am doing it! I'm amazed that I could take control of this part of my life -- even for just 12 days, but hopefully for 30 and then forever afterwards.

I've had a few days of extreme fatigue but that is also paired with my cycle, so not sure how much of it to attribute to food. I've also had a few days of extreme hunger/anger (also known as "Hangry") but that was also my fault, I simply ran out of food to eat or didn't bring it with me when we went out. Lesson learned: always have something around that is safe to eat. Like almonds, sweet potatoes or apple slices with almond butter.

The day-by-day whole 30 book I have mentioned a feeling of wanting to "kill all the things" which did rear its ugly head a few times, but I was able to control the urge to a) cheat on the program and b) hurt anyone. Yeah me! (haha)

Some of the positive things I've experienced: better self esteem, I just feel better about myself when I feel better and know I'm doing good things for my body. I haven't stepped on the scale yet (because it's actually a rule of the program not to) but I can tell that my clothes fit better and I feel better in my own skin - not bloated and feeling fat. I feel good. Whether or not the numbers actually go down doesn't really matter.

I haven't been out to eat yet so I haven't had to battle the menu, but I have had two social nights with friends were we stayed clear from the alcohol and cheese and crackers. I also spent an evening camping and was able to bring completely compliant foods, precooked and ready to eat (thanks Kate!) and I passed up the roasted marshmallows and s'mores with semi-ease. I knew that sugar rush would be too much. Those events were a little tricky, but afterwards I just felt so good about my choices and willpower.

I've found some really great recipes online. Nothing has been "boring" as I had first feared. I do end up cooking more since Chris and I need completely different lunches than we did before. No more sandwiches for us. I've also been making homemade dressings which are delicious.

I have confidence that I can finish out the month and I'm excited to see what other things improve for my body/skin/self-confidence in the next two weeks.